Refrigeration



.Patented Jan. 4, 1944 -UNITED STATES vPATENT ior-Flczs z ,ssazsslnarmoam'rron Thomas K. Sherwood, Wellesley Hills, Mass., assignor toServel, Inc., New York, N. Y., a' corporation oi' Delaware ApplicationSeptember 6, 1941, Serial No. 409,784

chamber 33. -These chambers are in communi- 10 Claims.

The subject of this invention is diffusion type absorption refrigerationsystems and the object Aof the invention is to provide such a systemhav- 1118 improved vapor actuated propulsion of inert gas.

The drawing shows more or less diagrammati- :ially a refrigerationsystem embodying the inven'- on.

The system shown is generally like that shown and described in PatentNo. 2,164,045 to H. M. Ullstrand. and A. R. Thomas, granted June `2'?,1939. Briefly, arefrigerator cabinet is cooled by an evaporator I I. Theevaporator is connected by pipes I2 and |3 to a gas heat exchanger |4having inner and outer passages I and I6.. An absorber vessel I1 isconnected by a, pipe I3 to the'inner heat exchanger passage I5. Anabsorber I9 comprises a pipe coil 20 provided with fins 2| for aircooling. The lower end of pipe coil is connected to absorber vessel |1.The upper end of coil 20 is connected to the outer -heat exchangerpassage I3 by a conduit 20a.

analyzer 24 to aggenerator 25. The generator iS heated by a gas burnerwhich directs its flame into a generator heating flue 21. The burnerv 26is supplied with gas through a line 28,- in which there is athermostatic `control valve 29 operative responsive to temperature ofthe evaporatorll.

The generator 25 is connected bya.v ap01` lift conduit 30 to the upperpart of' avessel 3|. The lower part of vessel4 3| is'connected byaconduit 32, the inner passage of liquid heat exchanger 23, and aconduit 33 to the lower end of conduit 20a. l The circuit Justfdescribedcontains a suitable solution of refrigerant in an absorbent, suchl as awater solution off ammonia. Circulation o f4 solution in this circuit iscaused by vaporflift conduit 30, vthrough Whichliq'uid is raised intovessel 3| by action of vapor formed in lgenerator 25. Liquid rises-lnvessel 3| to such a level that liquid overflows from conduit 20a intothe upper end of absorber coil 2|I. Liquid flows by actiorrof gravitythrough the absorber coil, absorber vessel l1, liquid heatexchanger 23,and analyzer 24 to the generator 25. f

In the generator 25 ls a partition 34 which -din vides the .generatorinto a chamber 35 andata hydrogen reserve vessel 4|.

cation through an opening in the lower part of partition 34. When burner25 is operated to heatthe generator, ammonia vapor is expelled fromsolution. Vapor expelled fromsolution in chamber 35 bubbles upwardthrough liquid in the generator and in analyzer 24 and flows through aconduit 31 to an air cooled condenser 38. Vapor which is expelled .groinsolution in generator chamber 38 flows upward through conduit 3|) andlifts the liquid through this conduit into vessell 3|. Vapor flows fromvessel 3| through a conduit 39 into analyzer 24, where it bubblesthroughliquid and also ows through conduit 31 to the condenser 38. l

Refrigerant vapor is liqueecl in condenser 38 and the liquid ows througha conduit 4|l into evaporator The refrigerant liquid evaporates inevaporator in the presence of the hydrogen producing a refrigeratingeffect for .cooling cabinet Ill. Refrigeranil vapor is extracted fromthe g. inert gas in absorber I9 by absorption into solution flowingtherethrough.

The upper end of conduit, 40 is connected toa The other end lof ,vessel4| is connected by a conduit 42 to the gas. circuit, the connectionbeingmade at the upper end of inner passage I5 of the gas heat exchanger|4. When ammoniayapor issues from the lower end of condenser 38, itflows through conduit 4U into vessel 4|, driving ahead of it hydrogengas vtvhich is thus displaced into the gas circuit. The

heated by a suitable means represented asa gas burner 41.y 'I'helower-part of absorber vessel IIA-is also connected by a conduit 48 ltothe ves# sel 43. The bottom of vessel 46 is connected 'by a conduit asto the vlower part of a vessel 5o. fine' top of vessel is connected by aconduit 5| to a lnozzle 52. Nozzle 52 is located in conduit |.3'v

and is directed ytoward absorber vessel I1. yVessel is heated by anysuitable means repre sented as a gas burner 53. An aircooled refluxcondenser` 54 is connected to the top of vessel 46.

Enriched absorption solution flows from ab-x 55 sorber vessel l1 throughconduit' 43 to coil 44. v

Vapor is expelled from solution in coil 44 and rises through conduit; 45into vessel 46, causing upward ow of'liquid in conduit 45 into vessel 46by known vapor lift action. The vapor enters condenser 54 and isliquelled, the liquid flowing i back into vessel 46. The liquid flowsfrom vessel 46 downward through conduit 49 into vessel 5t. Vapor isexpelled from the solution by heating in vessel 50. The vapor owsthrough conduit l to nozzle 52 from which it issuesin the form of a jetdirected toward absorber vessel Il. The vapor jetfirom' nozzle 52 causesgas to circulate in the gas circuit in the direction of the jet asindicated by arrows on the drawing. Excess liquid in vessel 46 overflowsinto conduit 48 and returns therethrough to absorber vessel il. Thepressure of vapor in vessel 50 is balanced by a column of liquid inconduit 49. Since solution in coil 44 and A vessel 50 is strong solutionfrom the absorber,

y A single source of heat may bel used in place of the two burners 41and 53. The action of the vapor jet in nozzle 52, and therefore the rateoi circulation in the gas circuit, may be varied by changing the heatinput to coil ilhlfand vessel 5D.

Various changes and modifications may be rnade.

within the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. 'A refrigeration system having an evaporator and an absorber in avgas circuit, a generator for expelling vaporous refrigerant fluid fromabsorption liquid, a liqueiler 'for changing the expelled refrigerantvapor to liquid form for use in said evaporator, said generator andabsorber being connected to provide a path of liow for absorption liquidin which weakened absorption liquid ilows from the generator to theabsorber and enriched absorption liquid flows from the absorber to thegenerator, a vapor jet directed to cause propulsion of gas in ,said gascircuit, a vaporizer for supplying vapor to said jet, and a line forsupplying absorption liquid from said path of flow to said vaporizer andhaving a part at a level above said path of 110W for absorption liquid2. A reirigerating system having a gas circuit including an evaporatorand an absorber, a. gen erator, said absorber and said generator beinginterconnected to provide a path of flow for absorptionliquid, a. vaporjet directedl to cause propulsion of gas in said gas circuit, avaporizer for supplying vapor to said -jet, and a line for supplyingabsorption liquid 'from said path ol ow to said vaporizer including avapor liquid lift for raising liquid in said lineto a level above saidpath of flow forv absorption liquid.

3, A refrigeration system having a gas circuit including an evaporatorand an absorber, a gen..

erator, said generator and said `absorber being connected to provide apath of flowy for absorption liquid, a vapor operated gas impeller insaid gas circuit, a vaporizerfor supplying vapor to to said vaporizer.

assaacs 4. A refrigeration system having a gas circuit including anevaporator and an absorber, structure including said absorber providinga path oi' flow for liquid, a vapor operated impeller for promoting flowof gas in said gas circuit, a lift for elevating liquid from said pathof ow to a level above said path of flow, and avaporlzer connected toreceive liquid which has been elevated by said lift and deliver vapor tosaid impeller.

5. A vaporproducer including a heated vessel, a circulation vessel atvan elevation above said heated vessel', a conduit connecting saidvessels,v

a vapor liquid lift for raising liquid into said f upper vessel, acondenser arranged to convert vapor in said upper vessel to liquid, saidvaporizer being adapted to be connected to -a jet for causing llow ofgas in the gas circuit of a diffusion type absorption refrigerationsystem, and said lift being connected to..receive liquid from theabsorption liquid circuit of said System.

6. .A refrigeration system having a circuit for absorption liquid and acircuit for inert gas, there being a vapor jet for causing flow of gasin said gas circuit, there being combined with said system a duidcircuit including a vaporizer connected to supply vapor to said jet, apart through which liquid flows to said vaporizer and arranged to hold acolumn of liquidprojecting above the level of liquid in said absorptionliquid circuit, and a part arranged to receive liquid from. saidabsorption liquidlcircuit and operative to raise such liquid to theupper end of said column.

7. A method of refrigeratlng which includes circulating absorptionliquid in a path of flow, owing inert gas in a circuit, in one part ofwhich the gas is brought into contact. 'with the absorption liquid,causing ow of gas in said circuit by propulsion with a jet of vapor,providing vapor for said jet by vaporization of absorption liquid,obtaining absorption liquid to be vaporized by withdrawing absorptionliquid from said path of llow and raising the withdrawn absorptionliquid to an elevation above said path of flow for absorption liquid toprovide a liquid head for exerting pressure on vapor supplied to saidiet.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 in which said raising of absorptionliquid is carried out said raising of absorption liquid is carried outby vapor lift action, the lifting vapor being formed 1o. A method ofrefrigeration which includes" i. the steps of utilizing vaporissuingfrom'a Jet to cause circulation of inert gas in a circuit, circu latingabsorption liquid in a, path of flow in `one part of which liquid passesin contact with gas in said circuit, withdrawing from'a part of saidpath yof v:dow 4absorption liquid after being in contact with said gas,vaporizing withdrawn ab-l sorption liquid to produce vapor for said jet,and, prior to vaporizing withdrawn absorption liquid, raising the4withdrawn absorption liquid to an elevation above said path of nowtoform a liquid column head producing pressure for operating said jet,

